With many top names out, the Spanish Vuelta looks like a good opportunity for lesser known but talented riders like Primoz Roglic to win a Grand Tour.
The 29-year-old Slovenian, who transitioned to cycling from ski jumping in 2012, excels at time trials and has shown he can hold his own in the mountains, something he will need in the Spanish race with its multiple demanding climbs.
Roglic finished fourth overall in the 2018 Tour de France and was third in the Giro d'Italia in June, where he also won two stages. He should be well rested after skipping this year's Tour in July.
"To finish on the podium of a Grand Tour is nice but I've already done it at the Giro so I want to win here," Roglic said. "I'll try everything to win it."
The 21-day race starts on Saturday with a team time trial to Torrevieja on the southeastern coast.
Last year's winner Simon Yates is not defending his title. Ineos, the powerhouse team formerly known as Sky, is bringing a weaker lineup that does not include Tour winner Egan Bernal, Geraint Thomas, or two-time former Vuelta champion Chris Froome, who is injured.
Also missing are this year's Giro winner Richard Carapaz, along with Julian Alaphilippe, Tom Dumoulin, Vincenzo Nibali, and Mikel Landa.
Roglic has been given the leadership role on his Jumbo-Visma team, where he will be supported by Steven Kruijswjik, who finished third in this year's Tour.
"I'm here to help the team win La Vuelta, but I'd like to do it myself of course," Kruijswjik said. "Primoz is also one of the favorites and we have to see halfway through La Vuelta. We start with the ambition to be up there and we can play some games, being so strong as a team."
Nairo Quintana, the 2016 Vuelta winner, tipped Roglic as the pre-race favorite, especially given the individual time trial on Stage 10, when the race jumps across the border into France for a 36-kilometer (22.3-mile) jaunt from Jurancon to Pau.
"He is a complete rider, better than the rest in the time trial, and with a team that we will have to work hard to stop," Quintana said of Roglic. "The time trial is long, but we will have to do our best."
LAST RACE
This will likely be the last major race for Quintana with his Movistar team.
Both he and the outfit have said they are parting ways next year after eight seasons together, which have included Quintana winning the Vuelta, the Giro and twice coming in runner-up at the Tour, among other successes, before his dip in form the last two years.
"I feel good and would like to close an era in the best possible way," Quintana said.
World champion Alejandro Valverde will be a co-leader of Movistar. The 39-year-old Spaniard won the Vuelta a decade ago and cannot be ruled out entirely.
SOUTH AMERICAN SWEEP?
Starting with Quintana, the field features a group of Colombians who should all be considered contenders.
If one of them does ride triumphantly into Madrid on the final stage on Sept. 15, it would complete a South American sweep of this year's three Grand Tours. Carapaz, from Ecuador, won the Giro and Bernal, a Colombian, took the French prize.
The other top Colombians are Miguel Ángel López of Astana, Rigoberto Urán of EF Education First, and Esteban Chaves of Michelton-Scott.
"It would be the greatest pride to win La Vuelta and have a Latin American party," Quintana said.
Carapaz was going to ride the Vuelta for Movistar but had to pull out due to a shoulder injury.
KEY STAGES
Aside from the time trial, the race, as usual, will be decided in the northern mountains.
After its start on the eastern coast, the race hits the Pyrenees in the enclave country of Andorra on Stage 9. Riders will face five mountain climbs in the short distance of just 94 kilometers (58 miles) that promises to decimate the peloton.
Stages 13, 15 and 16 are also hard mountain hikes that will whittle down the title hopefuls before a final week in the rugged hills of central Spain where the race will be decided.
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LE MONT-DORE, France (AP) — British rider Simon Yates won the first mountainous stage of the Tour de France on Monday and Irish rider Ben Healy was consoled by taking the yellow jersey.
Healy was nominated the most combative rider of the day after forcing the initiative on the 10th stage, but Yates - who won the Giro d’Italia last month – timed his break perfectly on the final climb to win a stage for the third time.
“It’s been a long time, but actually I also was not really expecting any opportunities here,” said Yates, a teammate of two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard. “We came here fully focused on Jonas and the GC (general classification), so the stage played out in a way that I could be there for the stage. I took it with both hands.”
Dutch rider Thymen Arensman was 9 seconds behind, while Healy finished third, 31 seconds behind Yates.
Three-time Tour champion Tadej Pogačar finished farther back alongside main rival Vingegaard and French rider Lenny Martinez with a gap of 4 minutes, 51 seconds.
It meant Healy, who claimed his first stage victory on Thursday, took the overall lead, 29 seconds ahead of Pogačar.
“It’s a fairy tale,” said Healy, the fourth Irish rider to wear the yellow jersey.
Remco Evenepoel was third in the general ranking, 1:29 behind, and Vingegaard 1:46 behind in fourth.
“I’m still behind and I have to take time at one point,” said Vingegaard, who remained positive that Pogačar wasn't too far ahead.
“So far I’ve been able to follow all his attacks which I couldn’t do in (Critérium du) Dauphiné," Vingegaard said, referring to the traditional Tour curtain-raiser. “I think that that shows that I have a better level now than I had in Dauphiné.”
Stage 10 took the riders on an arduous 165.3-kilometer route in the Massif Central — France’s south-central highland region — from Ennezat through seven category two climbs. It finished on the ascent of Puy de Sancy — the region’s highest peak — after 3.3 kilometers of an 8% gradient climb.
French rider Julian Alaphilippe lived up to expectations with the first break on France’s national day, Bastille Day, carving out a 10-second lead before he was caught on the first climb up Côte de Loubeyrat.
Norwegian rider Søren Wærenskjold had to withdraw early as the tough start proved too much after his crash the day before.
German rider Georg Zimmermann withdrew before the start following his crash on Sunday. His team, Intermarché-Wanty, said he “developed signs of a concussion during the night.”
Dutch sprinter Marijn van den Berg also retired due to injuries from his crash on Stage 1, EF Education-Easypost said.
The riders can look forward to their first rest day on Tuesday.
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Stage winner Britain's Simon Yates climbs breakaway during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Quinn Simmons of the U.S., center, and Ireland's Ben Healy ride in the breakaway during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Ireland's Ben Healy leads the breakaway with Netherlands' Thymen Arensman, Australia's Ben O'Connor, Australia's Michael Storer, and Britain's Simon Yates, from right to left, during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and teammate Britain's Adam Yates ride on the Charade Circuit during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Britain's Simon Yates crosses the finish line to win the the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
